US Says It Was Unaware Of Safrican Hostage Talks

[CherryPanda]

The United States did not know about talks on the reportedly imminent release of a South African hostage who died in a U.S. raid on al-Qaida militants in Yemen, the U.S. ambassador in South Africa said Monday.

Ambassador Patrick Gaspard said American officials were “unaware of ongoing negotiations that had any resolution” between the militants and Gift of the Givers, a South African humanitarian relief group that had been acting on behalf of the family of South African hostage Pierre Korkie. Gaspard also said it was “not altogether clear” to him that the South African government was even aware of the talks.

Korkie and American hostage Luke Somers were killed Saturday during a U.S.-led rescue attempt. Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of Gift of the Givers, has said that Korkie was supposed to be released Sunday under a deal struck with al-Qaida.

Gaspard said the U.S. hadn’t been informed about that. The U.S. decided to carry out the raid because the militants had threatened to kill Somers, Gaspard said.


“We were just completely unaware of those developments and had to act hastily,” the ambassador said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

He also said the United States had believed before the raid that there may have been “other hostages in the vicinity” of Somers’ location, but did not have details on the nationalities of any captives.

South African aid group describes hostage talks - The Washington Post

So, the US government was planning to rescue Somers and during the operation he died, together with another hostage, SAfrican teacher. That happens in this kind of operations, I can understand that.

What I can’t understand is how this Somers was more important than the hostages beheaded by ISIS. I mean, both Al-Qaeda and ISIS threaten to kill the hostages. But Obama “ordered the raid because Somers was believed to be in “imminent danger” after al-Qaida released a video showing Somers and threatening to kill him in three days if the U.S. did not meet the group’s unspecified demands.” Why was Somers in danger and they started an operation to save him, while in the same circumstances there was done nothing of this kind towards ISIS hostages? I just simple don’t understand how the choice is made.

 

[Roadrunner]

The United States did not know about talks on the reportedly imminent release of a South African hostage who died in a U.S. raid on al-Qaida militants in Yemen, the U.S. ambassador in South Africa said Monday.

Ambassador Patrick Gaspard said American officials were “unaware of ongoing negotiations that had any resolution” between the militants and Gift of the Givers, a South African humanitarian relief group that had been acting on behalf of the family of South African hostage Pierre Korkie. Gaspard also said it was “not altogether clear” to him that the South African government was even aware of the talks.

Korkie and American hostage Luke Somers were killed Saturday during a U.S.-led rescue attempt. Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of Gift of the Givers, has said that Korkie was supposed to be released Sunday under a deal struck with al-Qaida.

Gaspard said the U.S. hadn’t been informed about that. The U.S. decided to carry out the raid because the militants had threatened to kill Somers, Gaspard said.


“We were just completely unaware of those developments and had to act hastily,” the ambassador said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

He also said the United States had believed before the raid that there may have been “other hostages in the vicinity” of Somers’ location, but did not have details on the nationalities of any captives.

South African aid group describes hostage talks - The Washington Post

So, the US government was planning to rescue Somers and during the operation he died, together with another hostage, SAfrican teacher. That happens in this kind of operations, I can understand that.

What I can’t understand is how this Somers was more important than the hostages beheaded by ISIS. I mean, both Al-Qaeda and ISIS threaten to kill the hostages. But Obama “ordered the raid because Somers was believed to be in “imminent danger” after al-Qaida released a video showing Somers and threatening to kill him in three days if the U.S. did not meet the group’s unspecified demands.” Why was Somers in danger and they started an operation to save him, while in the same circumstances there was done nothing of this kind towards ISIS hostages? I just simple don’t understand how the choice is made.

You assume the US did not know of the S. African negotiations.

I say the administration did, and did not want to be shown up by S. Africa, and launched a botched mission dependent on Yemeni secrecy in a mad gamble to not be shown up by S. Africa.

Nobody steals the thunder from the man that freed Bergdahl and killed bin Laden.